Sunday 12 November

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Psalter week IV

Entrance Antiphon: Ps 87: 3

Let my prayer come into your presence. Incline your ear to my cry for help, O Lord.

Collect

Almighty and merciful God, graciously keep from us all adversity, so that, unhindered in mind and body alike, we may pursue in freedom of heart the things that are yours. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

First reading: Wisdom 6:12-16            

Wisdom is bright, and does not grow dim. By those who love her she is readily seen, and found by those who look for her. Quick to anticipate those who desire her, she makes herself known to them. Watch for her early and you will have no trouble; you will find her sitting at your gates. Even to think about her is understanding fully grown; be on the alert for her and anxiety will quickly leave you. She herself walks about looking for those who are worthy of her and graciously shows herself to them as they go, in every thought of theirs coming to meet them.

Psalm 62 (63): 2-8

R/ For you my soul is thirsting, O God, my God.

O God, you are my God, for you I long; for you my soul is thirsting. My body pines for you like a dry, weary land without water.

So I gaze on you in the sanctuary to see your strength and your glory. For your love is better than life, my lips will speak your praise.

So I will bless you all my life, in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul shall be filled as with a banquet, my mouth shall praise you with joy.

On my bed I remember you. On you I muse through the night for you have been my help; in the shadow of your wings I rejoice.

Second reading: 1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18

We want you to be quite certain, brothers, about those who have died, to make sure that you do not grieve about them, like the other people who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and that it will be the same for those who have died in Jesus: God will bring them with him. We can tell you this from the Lord’s own teaching, that any of us who are left alive until the Lord’s coming will not have any advantage over those who have died. At the trumpet of God, the voice of the archangel will call out the command and the Lord himself will come down from heaven; those who have died in Christ will be the first to rise, and then those of us who are still alive will be taken up in the clouds, together with them; to meet the Lord in the air. So we shall stay with the Lord for ever. With such thoughts as these you should comfort one another.

Gospel Acclamation: Mt 24: 42 44    

Alleluia, alleluia! Stay awake and stand ready, because you do not know the hour when the Son of Man is coming. Alleluia!

Gospel: Matthew 25:1-13    

Jesus told this parable to his disciples: “The kingdom of heaven will be like this: Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were sensible: the foolish ones did take their lamps, but they brought no oil, whereas the sensible ones took flasks of oil as well as their lamps. The bridegroom was late, and they all grew drowsy and fell asleep. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘The bridegroom is here! Go out and meet him.’ At this, all those bridesmaids woke up and trimmed their lamps, and the foolish ones said to the sensible ones, ‘Give us some of your oil: our lamps are going out.’ But they replied, ‘There may not be enough for us and for you; you had better go to those who sell it and buy some for yourselves.’ They had gone off to buy it when the bridegroom arrived. Those who were ready went in with him to the wedding hall and the door was closed. The other bridesmaids arrived later. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us.’ But he replied, ‘I tell you solemnly, I do not know you.’ So stay awake, because you do not know either the day or the hour.”

Prayer over the Offerings

Look with favour, we pray, O Lord, upon the sacrificial gifts offered here, that, celebrating in mystery the Passion of your Son, we may honour it with loving devotion. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon: Ps 22: 1-2

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. Fresh and green are the pastures where he gives me repose, near restful waters he leads me.

Prayer after Communion

Nourished by this sacred gift, O Lord, we give you thanks and beseech your mercy, that by the pouring forth of your Spirit, the grace of integrity may endure in those your heavenly power has entered. Through Christ our Lord.

Meditation

This very famous Gospel text is part of the eschatological discourses of Jesus. Here the emphasis is on vigilance or prudence, which is a cardinal virtue: “Watch therefore, for you know not the day nor the hour” (Mt 25:13). Contrary to the dark picture of the foolish, the picture of the sensible virgins presents us with the multiple advantages of prudence: it avoids dangers, unnecessary risks and fatal errors. Because he has understood that “prevention is better than cure”, the prudent man is the owner of an inestimable grace (Cf. Pr 13:16). By remaining prudent at all times, he will hardly find himself in a difficult and embarrassing situation. Let us pray for all the unwise people of the world, that they may recognize their shortcomings and find the strength to correct their handicap in order to share in salvation.

Samedi 11 Novembre

SAINT  Martin de Tours,

Evêque

Né en Pannonie (Hongrie), soldat à seize ans, Martin (vers 317-397) n’était encore que catéchumène quand, rempli d’une charité évangélique, il partagea son manteau avec un pauvre à Amiens. Baptisé à vingt-deux ans, il quitte l’armée et va se mettre à l’école de saint Hilaire à Poitiers.

Antienne  d’ouverture

Aujourd’hui Martin, le saint évêque de Tours, est entré dans le repos ; au ciel il a été accueilli par les anges.

Prière  d’ouverture

Dieu qui as été glorifié par la vie et la mort de l’évêque saint Martin, Renouvelle en nos cœurs les merveilles de ta grâce, si bien que ni la mort, ni la vie ne puissent nous séparer de ton amour. Par Jésus.

1ère lecture : Rm 16, 3-9.16.22-27

Frères, saluez de ma part Prisca et Aquilas, mes compagnons de travail en Jésus Christ, eux qui ont risqué leur tête pour me sauver la vie ; je ne suis d’ailleurs pas seul à leur être reconnaissant, toutes les Églises des nations le sont aussi. Saluez l’Église qui se rassemble dans leur maison. Saluez mon cher Épénète, qui fut le premier à croire au Christ dans la province d’Asie. Saluez Marie, qui s’est donné beaucoup de peine pour vous. Saluez Andronicos et Junias qui sont de ma parenté. Ils furent mes compagnons de captivité. Ce sont des apôtres bien connus ; ils ont même appartenu au Christ avant moi. Saluez Ampliatus, qui m’est cher dans le Seigneur. Saluez Urbain, notre compagnon de travail dans le Christ, et mon cher Stakys. Saluez-vous les uns les autres par un baiser de paix. Toutes les Églises du Christ vous saluent. Moi aussi, Tertius, à qui cette lettre a été dictée, je vous salue dans le Seigneur. Gaïus vous salue, lui qui me donne l’hospitalité, à moi et à toute l’Église. Éraste, le trésorier de la ville, et notre frère Quartus vous saluent. À Celui qui peut vous rendre forts selon mon Évangile qui proclame Jésus Christ: révélation d’un mystère gardé depuis toujours dans le silence, mystère maintenant manifesté au moyen des écrits prophétiques, selon l’ordre du Dieu éternel, mystère porté à la connaissance de toutes les nations pour les amener à l’obéissance de la foi, à Celui qui est le seul sage, Dieu, par Jésus Christ, à lui la gloire pour les siècles. Amen.

Psaume : 144 (145), 2-3, 4-5, 10-11

R/ Mon Dieu, mon Roi, je bénirai ton nom toujours et à jamais !

Chaque jour je te bénirai, je louerai ton nom toujours et à jamais. Il est grand, le Seigneur, hautement loué; à sa grandeur, il n’est pas de limite.

D’âge en âge, on vantera tes œuvres, on proclamera tes exploits. Je redirai le récit de tes merveilles, ton éclat, ta gloire et ta splendeur.

Que tes œuvres, Seigneur, te rendent grâce et que tes fidèles te bénissent ! Ils diront la gloire de ton règne, ils parleront de tes exploits. 

Acclamation

Alléluia. Alléluia. Jésus Christ s’est fait pauvre, lui qui était riche, pour que vous deveniez riches par sa pauvreté. Alléluia.

Évangile : Lc 16, 9-15

En ce temps-là, Jésus disait à ses disciples : « Moi, je vous le dis : Faites-vous des amis avec l’argent malhonnête, afin que, le jour où il ne sera plus là, ces amis vous accueillent dans les demeures éternelles. Celui qui est digne de confiance dans la moindre chose est digne de confiance aussi dans une grande. Celui qui est malhonnête dans la moindre chose est malhonnête aussi dans une grande. Si vous n’avez pas été dignes de confiance pour l’argent malhonnête, qui vous confiera le bien véritable ? Et si, pour ce qui est à autrui, vous n’avez pas été dignes de confiance, ce qui vous revient, qui vous le donnera ? Aucun domestique ne peut servir deux maîtres : ou bien il haïra l’un et aimera l’autre, ou bien il s’attachera à l’un et méprisera l’autre. Vous ne pouvez pas servir à la fois Dieu et l’argent. » Quand ils entendaient tout cela, les pharisiens, eux qui aimaient l’argent, tournaient Jésus en dérision. Il leur dit alors : « Vous, vous êtes de ceux qui se font passer pour justes aux yeux des gens, mais Dieu connaît vos cœurs ; en effet, ce qui est prestigieux pour les gens est une chose abominable aux yeux de Dieu. »

Prière  sur  les  offrandes

En ce jour où nous fêtons saint Martin, sanctifie, Seigneur, cette offrande : Qu’elle nous aide toujours à marcher vers toi à travers les épreuves et les joies de cette vie. Par Jésus.

Antienne  de  communion : Mt 25

« Vraiment, dit le Seigneur, tout ce que vous avez fait à l’un de ces petits, qui sont mes frères, c’est à moi que vous l’avez fait. »

Prière  après  la  communion

Toi qui nous as nourris, Seigneur, par le sacrement de l’unité, Fais-nous vivre en parfait accord avec toi, pour qu’en imitant saint Martin dans le don total qu’il te fit de lui-même, nous soyons heureux de t’appartenir vraiment. Par Jésus.

Méditation

Si nous voulons atteindre le Ciel, dans notre vie chrétienne, nous devons absolument nous méfier des incompatibilités. Le mal et le bien, le mensonge et la vérité, les ténèbres et la Lumière par exemple sont radicalement opposés. Dans le même sillage, l’Argent – très séducteur/tentateur (dont on dit souvent : « c’est le diable ! ») – et Dieu ne sauraient faire bon ménage. Oui ! Nous devons absolument faire un choix et l’assumer. A notre baptême, nous avons choisi de servir Dieu. C’est un choix très noble bien qu’exigeant, qui nous impose une distanciation avec les biens matériels, la richesse ou encore l’argent. Ayant compris ce texte de l’évangile et conscients du sort de Judas, les ministres du Christ font le Vœu de Pauvreté renonçant ainsi à l’attachement à l’Argent ou à l’Avoir qui tendent à remplacer Dieu dans nos vies respectives.

Saturday 11 November

SAINT  Martin of Tours

He was born in the Roman province of Pannonia. He spent some time as a hermit on an island off the Ligurian coast, founded a monastery at Ligugé in western France. The famous story about St Martin is that while a soldier in Amiens he gave half of his military cloak to a beggar and later had a dream in which the beggar revealed himself as Christ. He died in 397.

Entrance Antiphon: Cf. 1 Sam 2: 35

I shall raise up for myself a faithful priest who will act in accord with my heart and my mind, says the Lord.

Collect

O God, who are glorified in the Bishop Saint Martin both by his life and death, make new, we pray, the wonders of your grace in our hearts, that neither death nor life may separate us from your love. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

First reading: Romans 16:3-9,16,22-27

My greetings to Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked death to save my life: I am not the only one to owe them a debt of gratitude, all the churches among the pagans do as well. My greetings also to the church that meets at their house. Greetings to my friend Epaenetus, the first of Asia’s gifts to Christ; greetings to Mary who worked so hard for you; to those outstanding apostles Andronicus and Junias, my compatriots and fellow prisoners who became Christians before me; to Ampliatus, my friend in the Lord; to Urban, my fellow worker in Christ; to my friend Stachys. Greet each other with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send greetings. I, Tertius, who wrote out this letter, greet you in the Lord. Greetings from Gaius, who is entertaining me and from the whole church that meets in his house. Erastus, the city treasurer, sends his greetings; so does our brother Quartus. Glory to him who is able to give you the strength to live according to the Good News I preach, and in which I proclaim Jesus Christ, the revelation of a mystery kept secret for endless ages, but now so clear that it must be broadcast to pagans everywhere to bring them to the obedience of faith. This is only what scripture has predicted, and it is all part of the way the eternal God wants things to be. He alone is wisdom; give glory therefore to him through Jesus Christ for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalm 144(145):2-5,10-11

R/ I will bless your name for ever, O Lord.

I will bless you day after day and praise your name forever. The Lord is great, highly to be praised, his greatness cannot be measured.

Age to age shall proclaim your works, shall declare your mighty deeds, shall speak of your splendour and glory, tell the tale of your wonderful works.

All your creatures shall thank you, O Lord, and your friends shall repeat their blessing. They shall speak of the glory of your reign and declare your might, O God.

Gospel Acclamation: Ac16: 14

Alleluia, alleluia! Open our heart, O Lord, to accept the words of your Son. Alleluia!

Gospel: Luke 16: 9-15

Jesus said to his disciples: “I tell you this: use money, tainted as it is, to win you friends, and thus make sure that when it fails you, they will welcome you into the tents of eternity. The man who can be trusted in little things can be trusted in great; the man who is dishonest in little things will be dishonest in great. If then you cannot be trusted with money, that tainted thing, who will trust you with genuine riches? And if you cannot be trusted with what is not yours, who will give you what is your very own?  ‘No servant can be the slave of two masters: he will either hate the first and love the second, or treat the first with respect and the second with scorn. You cannot be the slave both of God and of money.” The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and laughed at him. He said to them, “You are the very ones who pass yourselves off as virtuous in people’s sight, but God knows your hearts. For what is thought highly of by men is loathsome in the sight of God.”

Prayer over the Offerings

Sanctify these offerings, we pray, Lord God, which we joyfully present in honour of Saint Martin, so that through them our life may always be directed whether in tribulation or in prosperity. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon: Mt 25: 40

Amen, I say to you: Whatever you did for one of the least of my brethren, you did it for me, says the Lord.

Prayer after Communion

Grant to us who have been restored by this Sacrament of unity, O Lord, perfect harmony with your will in all things, that, just as Saint Martin submitted himself entirely to you, so we, too, may glory in being truly yours. Through Christ our Lord.

Meditation

If we want to reach Heaven in our Christian life, we must absolutely be aware of some incompatibilities. Evil and good, lies and truth, darkness and light, for example, are radical opposites. In the same way, Money – very seductive and tempting (of referred to as “the devil!”) – and God cannot be a good match. Yes, we absolutely have to make a choice between them and bear it. At our baptism, we chose to serve God. It is a very noble choice, but a demanding one that requires us to distance ourselves from material goods, wealth and money. Having understood this text of the Gospel, and conscious of the fate of Judas, the ministers of Christ make the Vow of Poverty thus renouncing attachment to money or to possessions which tend to replace God in their lives.

Vendredi 10 Novembre

SAINT Léon le Grand,

Pape et Docteur de l’Eglise

Pape en 440, Léon (vers 395-461) est un prédicateur dont les sermons sont d’une grande richesse doctrinale, et un pasteur qui sut, face aux hérésies, formuler le mystère de la personne du Christ, Dieu et homme, en des termes adoptés par le concile de Chalcédoine. Par ses interventions, l’évêque de Rome sauva à deux reprises sa ville de la ruine dont la menaçaient les Huns d’Attila et les Vandales de Genséric.

Antienne  d’ouverture : Si 45, 30

Le Seigneur a conclu avec saint Léon une alliance de paix. Il en a fait un chef qui possède à jamais la dignité du sacerdoce.

Prière  d’ouverture

Dieu qui ne laisses pas les puissances du mal prévaloir contre ton Église fondée sur le roc inébranlable des Apôtres, fais qu’à la prière du pape saint Léon, elle reste ferme dans ta vérité, et, sous ta garde, soit pour toujours en paix. Par Jésus.

1ère lecture : Rm 15, 14-21

Moi-même, je suis convaincu, mes frères, que vous êtes pleins de bonnes qualités, remplis de toute connaissance de Dieu, et capables aussi de vous reprendre les uns les autres. Mais je vous ai écrit avec un peu d’audace, comme pour raviver votre mémoire sur certains points, et c’est en raison de la grâce que Dieu m’a donnée. Cette grâce, c’est d’être ministre du Christ Jésus pour les nations, avec la fonction sacrée d’annoncer l’Évangile : de Dieu, afin que l’offrande des nations soit acceptée par Dieu, sanctifiée dans l’Esprit Saint. Je mets donc ma fierté dans le Christ Jésus, pour ce qui est du service de Dieu. Car je n’oserais rien dire s’il ne s’agissait de ce que le Christ a mis en œuvre par moi afin d’amener les nations à l’obéissance de la foi, par la parole et l’action, la puissance des signes et des prodiges, la puissance de l’Esprit de Dieu. Ainsi, depuis Jérusalem en rayonnant jusqu’à la Dalmatie, j’ai mené à bien l’annonce de l’Évangile: du Christ. Je l’ai fait en mettant mon honneur à n’évangéliser que là où le nom du Christ n’avait pas encore été prononcé, car je ne voulais pas bâtir sur les fondations posées par un autre, mais j’ai agi selon qu’il est écrit: Ceux à qui on ne l’avait pas annoncé verront ; ceux qui n’en avaient pas entendu parler comprendront.

Psaume : 97 (98), 1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4

R/ La terre tout entière a vu   le salut que Dieu nous donne.

Ou : Alléluia !

Chantez au Seigneur un chant nouveau, car il a fait des merveilles; par son bras très saint, par sa main puissante, il s’est assuré la victoire.

Le Seigneur a fait connaître sa victoire et révélé sa justice aux nations ; il s’est rappelé sa fidélité, son amour, en faveur de la maison d’Israël.

La terre tout entière a vu la victoire de notre Dieu. Acclamez le Seigneur, terre entière, sonnez, chantez, jouez.

Acclamation

Alléluia. Alléluia. En celui qui garde la parole du Christ l’Amour de Dieu atteint vraiment sa perfection. Alléluia.

Évangile : Luc 16, 1-8

En ce temps-là, Jésus disait aux disciples : « Un homme riche avait un gérant qui lui fut dénoncé comme dilapidant ses biens. Il le convoqua et lui dit : “Qu’est-ce que j’apprends à ton sujet ? Rends-moi les comptes de ta gestion, car tu ne peux plus être mon gérant. Le gérant se dit en lui-même : “Que vais-je faire, puisque mon maître me retire la gestion? Travailler la terre ? Je n’en ai pas la force. Mendier ? J’aurais honte.  Je sais ce que je vais faire, pour qu’une fois renvoyé de ma gérance, des gens m’accueillent chez eux.” Il fit alors venir, un par un, ceux qui avaient des dettes envers son maître. Il demanda au premier: “ Combien dois-tu à mon maître ? ” Il répondit : “ Cent barils d’huile. “ Le gérant lui dit : “Voici ton reçu; vite, assieds-toi et écris cinquante. Puis il demanda à un autre : “Et toi, combien dois-tu? ” Il répondit : “Cent sacs de blé.” Le gérant lui dit: “Voici ton reçu, écris 80.” Le maître fit l’éloge de ce gérant malhonnête car il avait agi avec habileté ; en effet, les fils de ce monde sont plus habiles entre eux que les fils de la lumière. »

Prière  sur  les  offrandes

En te présentant ces offrandes, Seigneur, nous te prions : dans ta bonté, éclaire ton Église, de sorte qu’en tous lieux progresse ton troupeau et que ses pasteurs, conduits par toi, puissent te plaire. Par Jésus.

Antienne  de  communion : Jn 21, 17

Seigneur, tu sais tout : tu sais que je t’aime vraiment.

Prière  après  la  communion

À la table sainte, Seigneur, tu refais les forces de ton Église ; Nous te prions maintenant de la diriger avec amour, afin que sous ta forte impulsion, elle voit grandir sa liberté et demeure inébranlable au service de la foi. Par Jésus.

Méditation

« Quel que soit notre avoir et notre être, sans amitié–fraternité–solidarité nous sommes pitoyables ». En parlant d’un gérant ou intendant habile dont le Maître fait véritablement l’éloge, L’évangile du jour confirme notre point de vue de départ. En effet, s’étant rendu compte de son état de disgrâce et de l’imminence de son renvoi, ce gérant de l’évangile se crée un tissu fraternel plus ou moins solide en aidant tous les débiteurs de son Maître. L’enseignement que nous pouvons tirer de ce récit est simplement que chacun de nous peut embellir la fin de l’histoire de sa vie même si les débuts et le déroulement n’ont été qu’un brouillon. Que par l’intercession de Saint Léon le Grand, Dieu nous accorde la sagesse et l’esprit de discernement sans lesquels nous pouvons négliger voire briser la Fraternité.

Friday 10 November

SAINT  Leo the Great, Pope

He was born in Etruria and became Pope in 440. He was a true shepherd and father of souls. He constantly strove to keep the faith whole and strenuously defended the unity of the Church. He left many doctrinal and spiritual writings behind and a number of them are included in the Office of Readings to this day. He died in 461.

Entrance Antiphon: Sir 45: 30

The Lord established for him a covenant of peace, and made him the prince, that he might have the dignity of the priesthood for ever.

Collect

O God, who never allow the gates of hell to prevail against your Church, firmly founded on the apostolic rock, grant her, we pray, that through the intercession of Pope Saint Leo, she may stand firm in your truth and know the protection of lasting peace. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

First reading: Romans 15:14-21

My brothers, I am quite certain that you are full of good intentions, perfectly well instructed and able to advise each other. The reason why I have written to you, and put some things rather strongly, is to refresh your memories, since God has given me this special position. He has appointed me as a priest of Jesus Christ, and I am to carry out my priestly duty by bringing the Good News from God to the pagans, and so make them acceptable as an offering, made holy by the Holy Spirit. I think I have some reason to be proud of what I, in union with Christ Jesus, have been able to do for God. What I am presuming to speak of, of course, is only what Christ himself has done to win the allegiance of the pagans, using what I have said and done by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Thus all the way along, from Jerusalem to Illyricum, I have preached Christ’s Good News to the utmost of my capacity. I have always, however, made it an unbroken rule never to preach where Christ’s name has already been heard. The reason for that was that I had no wish to build on other men’s foundations; on the contrary, my chief concern has been to fulfil the text: Those who have never been told about him will see him, and those who have never heard about him will understand.

Psalm 97(98):1-4

R/ The Lord has shown his salvation to the nations.

Sing a new song to the Lord for he has worked wonders. His right hand and his holy arm have brought salvation.

The Lord has made known his salvation; has shown his justice to the nations. He has remembered his truth and love for the house of Israel.

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Shout to the Lord, all the earth, ring out your joy.

Gospel Acclamation: 2Co 5: 19

Alleluia, alleluia! God in Christ was reconciling the world to himself, and he has entrusted to us the news that they are reconciled. Alleluia!

Gospel: Luke 16: 1-8

Jesus said to his disciples: “There was a rich man and he had a steward denounced to him for being wasteful with his property. He called for the man and said, ‘What is this I hear about you? Draw me up an account of your stewardship because you are not to be my steward any longer.’ Then the steward said to himself, ‘Now that my master is taking the stewardship from me, what am I to do? Dig? I am not strong enough. Go begging? I should be too ashamed. Ah, I know what I will do to make sure that when I am dismissed from office there will be some to welcome me into their homes.’ Then he called his master’s debtors one by one. To the first he said, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ ‘One hundred measures of oil’ was the reply. The steward said, ‘Here, take your bond; sit down straight away and write fifty.’ To another he said, ‘And you, sir, how much do you owe?’ ‘One hundred measures of wheat’ was the reply. The steward said, ‘Here, take your bond and write eighty.’ The master praised the dishonest steward for his astuteness. For the children of this world are more astute in dealing with their own kind than are the children of light.”

Prayer over the Offerings

Through the offerings made here, we pray, O Lord, graciously shed light on your Church, so that your flock may everywhere prosper and that under your governance the shepherds may become pleasing to your name. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon: Mt 16: 16, 18

Peter said to Jesus: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus replied: You are Peter,

and upon this rock I will build my Church.

Prayer after Communion

Be pleased, O Lord, we pray, to govern the Church you have nourished by this holy meal, so that, firmly directed, she may enjoy ever greater freedom and persevere in integrity of religion. Through Christ our Lord.

Meditation

“Whatever we have and whatever we are, without friendship-fraternity-solidarity, we are miserable. In speaking of a skilful manager or steward who is truly praised by the Master, today’s Gospel confirms our original point of view. Indeed, having realized his state of disgrace and the imminence of his dismissal, this manager of the Gospel creates a more or less solid fraternal fabric by helping all the debtors of his Master. The lesson that we can draw from this story is simply that each of us can embellish the end of the story of our life even if the beginning and the unfolding were only a rough draft. Through the intercession of St. Leo the Great, may God grant us the wisdom and spirit of discernment without which we are bound to neglect or even break Fraternity.